Abstract

MIRANDA, Mario L.  and  ROJAS, Carlos L.. Establishment of a Methodology for the Determination of Mercury in Environmental Samples by Potentiometric Stripping Analysis (PSA). Port. Electrochim. Acta [online]. 2005, vol.23, n.1, pp.195-206. ISSN 0872-1904.

The objective of this paper is the establishment of the better instrumental conditions of analysis for the determination and quantification of mercury in environmental samples by potentiometric stripping analysis.  This determination is based in the deposition of mercury into a thin gold film, previously deposited onto a glassy carbon electrode, and then stripped back to the work solution by means of an added oxidant agent. We carried out tests to determine the oxidant concentration, electrolysis potential, support electrolyte and its concentration, potassium chloride concentration and the detection / quantification limits, having in mind to determine in a precise, reliable and reproducible form the presence of mercury, its further quantification, previous mineralization by microwave digestion and its preconcentration by cation exchange column chromatography, to eliminate interferences from metallic ions. The quantification was carried out by the standard additions method.  This work shows a detection limit of 5 μg/L and quantification limit of 17 μg/L.

Keywords : mercury; stripping; PSA; environment; optimization; gold film; detection limits.

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